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Aermoo B3 Bluetooth earbuds review

REVIEW – As I continue to get opportunities to test and review more earbuds, it feels like the battle is heating up and each new addition to the race is getting closer to claiming the title of “Best earbuds for Julian”. These earbuds are the next contenders. Let’s see how they stack up.

What is it?

The Aermoo B3 earbuds are a pair of Bluetooth wireless earbuds for listening to music and other audio from any audio device with Bluetooth capability. They also handle phone call functions.

What’s in the box


1 x Pair of Aermoo B3 earbuds
1 x Charging Case
2 x Pairs of Wing Tips
3 x Pairs of Ear Tips
1 x USB Micro USB Cable
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

The Aermoo B3 earbuds are nicely and safely packaged. When you remove them from the box and you charge them, they are ready to go. The Wing Tips and Ear Tips that came pre-installed fit me perfectly. The instruction manual is small but provides all of the details that you need.

When you open the charging case you will notice a unique feature, one that I have never come across before. This case has 4 charging level LEDs that light up blue, and above the LEDs, there is an on/off button that controls the charging of the earbuds when they are placed in the case. This is unlike most other earbuds that automatically charge once they are placed in the case. When the on/off button is depressed, it allows the case to charge the earbuds. Since I very rarely read instructions, I ended up with “dead” earbuds before I figured that it was not just a press of the button, but rather I had to use the tip of my finger to really push the button down until it stayed in and then it was in the on position.

On the back of the charging case, there is the micro USB charging port. The case itself is a bit smaller than most I have come across measuring just 2.5″ x 1″ x 1″.

Performance

Specifications:

Bluetooth version: 5.0
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Headset Battery: 45mAH
Charging Case Battery: 460mAH
Charging Case Charging Time: approx. 2hrs
Music Playing Time: approx. 2.5hrs
Talk Time: approx. 3hrs
Standby Time: 100hrs

Using the earbuds: (MFB = Multifunction Button)
To answer a call: Short press of MFB on either earbud.
To hang up: Long press MFB on either earbud.
To reject a call: Press and hold MFB on right earbud.
Voice dial: Double-click MFB on left earbud.

To play/pause music:
In standby mode: Short press MFB on either earbud; double-click MFB on right earbud to pause.
Switch song forward/Backward: Long Press MFB for 2 seconds on right earbud for forward and 2 seconds on left earbud for backward

When you first take them out of the charging case, you press the multifunction button (MFB) on each earbud for 2 seconds and they turn on, their LEDs flash red/blue, they immediately go into pairing mode and show up in your phone’s Bluetooth connection choices. Pairing is simple and quick. The earbuds automatically connect to each other and the process like with all other functions is confirmed by voice command. The LEDs then flash blue as a confirmation of connectivity and status. Placing them back in the charging case disconnects them from the Bluetooth connection. The next time you remove them from the charging case, they automatically connect to your phone without the need to power them on or to pair them. I did notice that it the power button in the case is in the off position, the earbuds do not automatically disconnect from the Bluetooth connection.

These earbuds perform very well. The sound is very good and clear, and the Lows, Mids, and Highs are all present and well balanced. The maximum volume has a limiter so that you are never in danger of turning the volume up too high and damaging your hearing. They are very pleasing to listen to. I experienced very few Bluetooth disconnections and when I did, it was always within those geographical high interference areas that I mention in all of my earbud reviews.

I was quite surprised at how well these worked for phone conversations for me given my history of having issues with the other party hearing me with almost every earbud I have tested. It is also great that these earbuds allow phone use with either earbud.

The Aermoo B3 earbuds fit my ears snugly and stay in place quite well. I did not ever feel like they would fall out. However, they are a bit big and are not as comfortable as some others. If not seated just right, they can be a bit uncomfortable. The picture below provides an example of the size.

What I like

  • The build quality of the earbuds and the case, and the feel of the case. (It feels like soft velvet)
  • The overall quality of the audio presentation
  • The ability to use either earbud for phone calls
  • The stability of the Bluetooth connection

What can be improved

  • The size of the earbud so that it will fit better
  • The function of the on/off button in the case so that it engages and disengages with less effort and provides a confirmation of function. (Maybe a click?)

Final thoughts

As I spend more time testing and reviewing earbuds, I have come to realize that there is not necessarily a confirmed and measurable relationship between price and quality of sound and performance. The Aermoo B3 earbuds are relatively inexpensive but are a really great bang for the buck. I honestly was not expecting them to perform as well as they did, and for a price that is well short of even $100, they can challenge some of the much higher priced earbuds that I have tested. While they are not perfect, they are quite worthy. I always mention that fit and sound are individually subjective dynamics, and I am always careful not to provide any universal recommendations. Having made that declaration, I must give kudos to Aermoo for these earbuds.

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: The Aermoo website and Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Aermoo.

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Aermoo B3 Bluetooth earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 13, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Minger Govee Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer Review

REVIEW – Are you one of those folks who think it’s too cold at work? I’m the opposite! I always think it’s too dang hot. Our office building HVAC system seems a little funny to me sometimes, so I thought something like the Govee wireless thermometer/hygrometer that logs data might come in useful.

What is it?

The Govee is a battery-powered device that displays temperature and relative humidity on an LCD screen. The party trick is the ability to record up to 32,000 data points view the records over your smartphone via bluetooth.

Hardware specs

  • Temperature Accuracy: -20°C to 60°C (-68°F – 140°F)
  • Humidity Range: 0 – 99%
  • Humidity Accuracy: ±3%
  • Dimensions: 40mm x 40mm x 16.5mm / 1.57″ x 1.57″ x 0.65″
  • Weight: 40g / 1.4oz
  • Battery: AAA (included)
  • Battery Life: Typ. over 1 year (more in normal conditions, less in extreme cold)
  • Sampling Interval: Every 2s
  • On-board Data Storage: 20 days
  • In-App Data Storage: 2 years
  • Compatibility: iPhone, Android

What’s in the box?

You get the Govee device, a mount with peel-off adhesive, and documentation. AAA batteries included!

Design and features

There’s not a whole lot with the device itself. There’s only one button on the front to switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Don’t forget to pull the little plastic tab from the included batteries!

The device itself fits in the palm of your hand, with an easy to understand LCD display with a battery icon on top.

Setup

I downloaded the iOS app “Govee Home”, shown below. It’s free.

For some reason, you have to sign up with an email and password. I don’t know why and I’m not too crazy about this.

Performance

Once your smartphone is paired with your Govee, you can make changes to your settings. Note the temperature alarm slide on the left. I set the upper range to 80F to see what would happen. More on that later.

On the right is a snapshot of the data over a brief period. You can slide the records left and right in time.


Once the data is uploaded to your phone, you get the grammatically questionable “Complete to upload the data”. (Attention programmers: “Data upload complete” is shorter and better.)

I let the Govee sit in my office for a week to get a sense of what was going on with the temperatures. See the red peaks on late Saturday and Sunday? Those are times when the recorded temperature exceeded the limits I set at 80F. It appears that over the weekend, the air conditioning (what little there is) is shut off to save energy.

What I like

Simple to set up. Data is easy to interpret on a smartphone.

What needs to be improved

Maybe not for you if you’re paranoid about setting up an email and password for an app. The grammar choices bug me a little.

Final thoughts

Easy, straightforward, and batteries included. I like it!

Price: $42.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Minger.

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Minger Govee Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 13, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater review


REVIEW – When I  use my own mobile hotspot at work, I often lose connection to it as I roam about my floor which is quite large. Knowing that an extender/repeater could possibly provide a solution for better coverage and signal strength, I accepted the offer to test this device that boasted an easy installation and solution.

What is it?

The ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater is a device that can work as a signal relay or access point to provide extended wireless access to your router.

What’s in the box

1 x ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater

1 x Ethernet Cable

1 x Instruction Leaflet

1 x Contact Card

Design and features

The ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater is a small white box measuring 4″ x 1″ x 2.25″, with 4 antennas attached and a built-in AC plug.  The antennas are on hinges that allow you to move them around for the best signal strength. On the front of the device, there are 5 LEDs that represent the following from left to right:
1. Power
2. WPS
3. WLAN
4. WAN
5. LAN

It operates in 3 modes: Repeater Mode, AP Mode, and Router Mode. In the router mode, you can create a wireless network and share Internet access with to multiple Wi-Fi devices. In the repeater mode, you can extend the wireless coverage range, and in AP mode you can connect to a wired network and share your internet connection. It provides 360-degree coverage.


On one of the short side of the device, there are 2 Ethernet ports for the WAN and LAN connections.


On one of the long sides, there is a Reset button, a WPS button, and air vents.

Performance

The instruction booklet gave precise directions, and setup was easy once I connected to the Elegiant. I used my iPad Pro 12.9 to set up the device, and I did have to try a few times including starting over and refreshing the browser to get all of the settings to load completely. This started with the login screen. Since this could be caused by uncontrollable things like environmental interference, I will not blame the device. However, the distance between the Elegiant and my mobile hotspot was only about 2 feet. The actual configuration process was very easy and straightforward. For this review, I set mine up in the relay mode to extend the signal coverage. Here are some of the setup screens:



I work in a high security IT environment, and signal interference is very present. For several reasons, I was only able to place the repeater about 3 feet away from my mobile hotspot. Nevertheless, I was completely impressed by the performance of this device. It literally doubled my wifi range and that is despite the fact that when I move around my floor, there are multiple security doors in between me and the repeater. Based on this experience, I suspect that the other 2 modes will provide the same level of performance.

What I like

  • The small and compact size
  • The user-friendly browser GUI
  • The consistent wireless range it provides

What can be improved

  • The browser settings and how slowly and inconsistently they load.

Final thoughts

The ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater is a very useful device that performs a very useful and needed function and does it very well. The small footprint means that it can be present but hidden, and the range is superb for its specifications. I do know that there is an AC1200Mbps version that is available, and likely provides even more range and an even stronger signal. Based on the performance of this 300Mbps model, I am very pleased and now very eager to get the chance to test the 1200Mbps model.  For the price, this is a win.

Price: $19.99
Where to buy: Elegiant website or Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Elegiant.

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ELEGIANT 300Mbps Wireless Signal Booster WiFi Repeater review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 12, 2018 at 11:30 am.

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Waterfield Pro Executive Laptop Backpack review

REVIEW – I’ve used Waterfield gear for many years and continue to add to my collection when need be. With even my oldest WF slipper case (think first gen 17″ MacBook) still going strong, having been repurposed many times. Over the years, Waterfield has continued to evolve and design new products as the tech-landscape changes. Recently, Waterfield has released a premium collection for those executives needing a sophisticated EDC bag with great looks, features, and functions. In this case, they sent me their new Pro Executive Laptop Backpack for this review, let’s see if they hit the mark…

What is it?

The Waterfield Pro Executive Laptop Backpack is a premium EDC bag that “blends sophisticated style with serious functionality”. The Pro laptop backpack has a very well thought-out, crowd-sourced design with a professional-look worthy enough for any boardroom, airport executive lounge, or exclusive sports club.

Design and features

Waterfield developed this “Boardroom Backpack” in collaboration with their customers. Their goal was “to create a professional-looking backpack that balanced functionality with style elegant enough for the boardroom. The Pro Backpack blends sophisticated style with serious functionality. It’s highly organized with two compartments, strategically-placed pockets, and a removable Executive Folio for taking to short meetings”.

Layout:

The main face of the Executive Pro backpack has two quick-access, zippered pockets engineered to hold a smartphone, keys, business & misc cards, wallet, pocket knife, pens, etc. One of these pockets is accessible from the top and the other from either side of the front (see below). Both pockets placement are very convenient and easily accessible on the fly.

The center compartment is surprisingly spacious and is able to hold a good amount of gear. It easily fits my workout clothes and leftovers for lunch with room to spare. While the zippers do not open fully, the opening is large enough to accommodate more or less whatever you need to jam into the void.

The back compartment has two slipper pockets, one on either side spanning the height of the backpack for your laptop and tablet. There is also space between the two for holding Waterfield’s optional Executive Folio.

The front slipper pocket is unlined and fits my 10.5″ iPad Pro nicely.  The slipper pocket meant for your laptop is lined/padded with a soft felt that sits against your back for greatest protection.

Like the rest of the Pro Executive Laptop Backpack, the two zippered side pockets are nicely placed, well organized, and very convenient. Located symmetrically on either side, each compartment has three elastic slots of various width to hold your EDC gear and a few power bars as well 😉 . They are also tall enough to accommodate a decent sized water bottle.

Material and construction quality:

The Pro Executive laptop backpack material and build quality are excellent. The 1050 Denier ballistic nylon, full-grain leather, zippers, rivets, and stitching are all nicely constructed and built to last. In addition to strength, the premium full-grain accent leather adds a quality look and style to the backpack.

All of the zippers are low profile, covered, and waterproof with a solid but easy pull to them.

Specifications:

Material:

  • 1050 Denier black Ballistic nylon
  • Full-grain leather accents

Dimensions & Weight:

  • Pro Executive Backpack:
    One size: 13.5″ (L) x 16.5″ (H) x 7.0″ (W), 2.9 lbs.
    Volume: 25.5 liters
  • Executive Folio:
    -13” size: 10.25” (L) x 13.25” (H) x 1.75” (W), 1 lb.
    -15” size: 11.0” (L) x 15.0” (H) x 1.75” (W), 1.2 lbs.

Features:

  • Crowd-sourced design with customers to create a stylish and functional backpack for professionals.
  • Includes an optional Executive Folio to take for short meetings.
  • Stands upright when it’s set down.
  • Two main chambers: back chamber zips down to carry laptop or tablet, documents, and the Executive Folio. Front chamber is spacious enough to hold other items needed for a day at the office.
  • Premium full-grain leather front panel and handle.
  • Two zip pockets on the front panel to quickly access items when swinging the backpack from the shoulder.
  • Two large side pockets for water bottle and small items.
  • Top front pocket that’s deep enough to hold items securely.
  • Back slot for slipping onto suitcase handles.
  • Top handle is premium leather for a more comfortable grip.
  • Comfortable shoulder straps.
  • Sleek, waterproof zippers throughout.

Functionality:

One of the best features of the Waterfield Pro Executive Backpack is that it can stand on its own. Instead of needing to lean against anything or be laid flat, it stays upright where you set it.

As you can see and would expect, this bag has a classic backpack design and wears accordingly. The Pro Executive Laptop Backpack rides very comfortably on a single or both shoulders. Empty, the bag weighs less than 3 pounds and even with all my EDC gear, laptop, and full water bottle the total weight isn’t too heavy at all.

The reinforced, built-in handle carries comfortably as well. The handle is wrapped in the same full-grain leather as the front of the backpack, for a solid grip and greater durability. As I mentioned, even with all my gear, this bag isn’t all that heavy, especially considering it is approximately two plus pounds lighter than my all-leather Colonel Littleton Navigator bag.

The back of the Pro backpack has a pass-through slot for slipping onto wheeled suitcase handles.

I took this backpack on several long, hectic trips during this review. It came thru with flying colors. It was the perfect size to carry everything I needed on my go-go-go travels, all while keeping a ton of my gear organized and easily accessible.

What I like

  • Excellent material quality and craftsmanship
  • Well designed/thought out
  • Stylish, professional design
  • Wheeled-suitcase handle pass-through
  • Relatively lightweight

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive

One More Thing…

Waterfield offers a matching (optional) folio made from the same ballistic nylon and full-grain leather as the rest of their executive line. The Executive Folio is designed as a grab and go when you don’t need all your EDC gear, just some of the basics.

The Executive Folio has slipper pockets for your laptop, tablet, pens, paperwork, etc.

In addition to the chocolate accent leather you see in this review, the Waterfield Pro Executive Laptop Backpack is also available in black, crimson, and grey leathers.

Waterfield Designs backs all of their products with a (limited) lifetime warranty.

Final thoughts

The Waterfield Boardroom Backpack is excellent. Other than being pricey, I have nothing negative to say about this stylish, very well made EDC bag. Waterfield’s crowd-sourced, collaborative effort has hit the mark, creating an exceptionally functional, nicely laid out backpack with a sophisticated look suitable for any business situation. Roomy enough to carry all your EDC gear, workout clothes, and lunch while not weighing you down.

Price: $349.00 / optional folio adds $49
Where to buy: Waterfield Designs.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Waterfield Designs.

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Waterfield Pro Executive Laptop Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 12, 2018 at 9:30 am.

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The Kwilt Shoebox Plus review


Not very long ago, I tested and reviewed the Kwilt Mini Shoebox, which is a device that allows me to transfer and/or backup any or all of the videos and photos from my phone or tablet to storage attached to this device via my network. I found it to be a very nice and useful gadget, but with some flaws. Just recently, Kwilt released the Kwilt Shoebox Plus and allowed me the honor of reviewing their upgraded device. So, here we go:

What is it?

The Kwilt Shoebox Plus allows you to transfer/backup your photos and videos from your phone or tablet, and to have access to them and any other media attached to the shoebox from anywhere in the world and at any time, as long as you have internet access.

What’s in the box



1 x Kwilt Shoebox Plus
1 x 64GB Thumb Drive
1 x Micro USB Power Adapter
1 x Quick Start Guide
1 x Additional Information Leaflet
1 x Ethernet Cable

Design and features

Much like the previous model, the Kwilt Shoebox Plus is a small and lightweight device that allows you to connect a relatively limitless amount of hard drive storage via its 4 built-in USB ports. You can transfer your pictures and videos from your mobile device to “free up” storage, or you can create a backup of your content. The device allows you to have access to the content from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access and the app configured on your device. You can set up additional accounts for family and friends and others. You can display the photos and videos on a display via the HDMI port and hear any audio via the audio port.
On one of the long sides of this device, there are 3 ports. From left to right there is a power port, an HDMI display port and an audio out port.


On one of the short sides of the device, there are 4 USB ports and an Ethernet jack.

Performance

Once again, much like the previous model, the initial setup of the Kwilt was very easy right out of the box, with no issues at all. This time around, they provided a 64GB flash drive to get you started which as I stated in the first review, is simply amazing and a great gesture by the manufacturer. Since the app was already loaded on my devices, as soon as I connected the Kwilt Shoebox Plus to my network, it showed up as a second Kwilt in the app. (This time around, I connected the Kwilt via the Ethernet cable). The instructions were easy to follow, and since I had already created an account for the first Kwilt, in a few seconds, all was set and ready to go. When I opened the app, the first screen asked me to create a name and password for the new device.


Once I gave the device a name, (Unlike my first Kwilt, I just named this one Kwilt Plus), the next screen was the main screen with a thumbnail view of some of my photos/videos, and the icon in the upper left corner for the choices.


First I selected Manage Kwilt Shoebox to see what the app showed for my devices.


Once that selection looked good, I selected the choice to Transfer to Shoebox and both Kwilt devices were displayed for my selection.


This time around, when I selected the Kwilt Plus option to transfer my photos and videos together, I had no problem with the app. I selected the option to transfer all files including both videos and photos, and the process was flawless. When I tested the first Kwilt, whenever my phone went into sleep mode, the app would stop the transfer. This time around, the phone stayed awake and successfully completed the transfer.


Another great improvement and also a pleasant surprise is that unlike my failed efforts to contact support during my testing of the previous Kwilt device, on this occasion, I received the following email shortly after setting up the Kwilt Plus:


All of the functions included in the original Kwilt Shoebox are also included in this version. To see the review of the first Kwilt Mini Shoebox, click here: Kwilt Shoebox review.
In addition to the app functions to edit and share your photos, you can also perform the following functions:

  • The KwiltKeys photo keyboard for IOS allows you find any picture and place it into any relevant app.
  • The Kwilt for MS Office365 add-on allows you to find and insert any photos into Word or PowerPoint.
  • The Kwilt for MS Outlook add-on that allows you to find and insert any photos into MS Outlook.

What I like

  • The addition of wired Ethernet for this new model.
  • The great improvement of the functionality of the app.
  • The great improvement in the Customer Support function.
  • The addition of multiple USB ports for flexibility and expansion.

What can be improved

  • In my opinion, there is nothing to be improved. They got it right.

Final thoughts

The Kwilt Shoebox Plus is a great improvement to the first model and continues to be a really nice device that is designed to perform a very useful and convenient function. Just like its predecessor, it provides for virtually limitless storage for your mobile picture and videos, far beyond the built-in storage capacity of any phone on the market today. It continues to allow access to others persons of your choice, and with a bit of imagination, it can be useful in more ways than mentioned in my review, including as an example, when you get a new cell phone and you are switching from say Android to IOS. The Kwilt Shoebox Plus makes the process of safeguarding your priceless pictures and videos that are on your cell phone, easy and painless. I can’t wait to see what Kwilt comes up with next. In my opinion, this is a win.

Price: $119.00
Where to buy: Kwilt Shoebox Website.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kwilt Shoebox.

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The Kwilt Shoebox Plus review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 11, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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